Vista Activation Got You Down? Bypass it! (Sort of)
Let’s just start from the beginning (aka “the excuse”). I had to install Windows XP or Vista on my MacBook Pro for the data architect class I’ve been taking. Since this is work-related, I snagged work’s copy of Vista. We have a volume license, etc, etc, so it’s legit. However, I installed it and did not activate it. 30 days later… It turns out the installation I used had a limited number of activations. I was supposed to use the upgrade copy. Long story short, I was able to just type in the upgrade key and it worked. However, I did not attempt that at first (it just seemed too simple).
So, there you are. Vista wants you to activate or it will feed your first born to kobolds. You may be able to get by without activation. Tell the activation wizard that you’d like to continue using your computer with limited functionality. This will open your default browser (Firefox for me) and take you to a web page about activation. From the web browser, go to File -> Open (or your browser’s equivalent). Now, type in “C:\Windows\Explorer.exe”. It will prompt you to download explorer.exe. Just save it to your desktop. Now, either from the Open/Run dialog or the downloads window, execute explorer.exe. Ah ha! Now you have a desktop! The start menu doesn’t seem to work, but I was able to open My Computer from my desktop. From there, type “C:\Windows\system32\taskmgr.exe” in the address bar of the My Computer window. This will launch Task Manager which will let you run just about everything else on your computer by using File -> New Task.
It’s pretty gimpy, but it worked for me. On the MacBook Pro, it also disabled right-click and some startup programs (such as Dropbox). If you want to browse hidden or system files, open My Computer and press the Alt key. This should give you the standard menu bar. Just go to Tools -> Options and uncheck the appropriate boxes.
Disclaimer: I do not intend to condone piracy or hacking or cracking or whatever negative connotations you may want to associate with this. It is simply a workaround as a last-ditch effort when activation is not an option for you. Your mileage may vary.
